Where The Corn Grows

Jack and I enjoy weekly walks with his best friend, Mishka, and her Mom, Viv.  We walk through woods and fields enjoying each other’s company and nature’s beauty around us.    We’ve been taking note of how quickly corn is growing in one particular field.  Each week we see obvious growth as the green stalks and leaves shoot up, up, up — except for one large patch at one edge of the field.  This area of corn is lagging behind; growth is stunted, and we could see why — no direct sunlight.  Without the light it cannot grow properly.

Once again as we look at our physical world, we see our spiritual world mirrored.  Do you remember the joy you experienced when you first came to know Jesus as your personal Savior?  Do you also remember how hungry and thirsty you were to know more?  You wanted to read God’s Word and meet with other Christians.  You had questions and were thirsty for answers.  Joy, discussion, and friendship with other Christians was a fun and happy time together.  All that came as a result of living in the Son Light.

Remember, too, times when you began to shrink back from such Light?  Your time spent in God’s Word lessened.  Perhaps you got busy with something else that began to take your time.  Then you began to spend less time with likeminded friends.  Discussion of Jesus sat on a shelf.  Remember, also, when you acknowledged all the above, what else was happening?  A joy loss.  It suddenly occurs to you, that the height and depth of joy once known, has slipped away.  You try to hide it.  You smile.  You think you are faking out everyone, but you can’t fake out Jesus, and you can’t even fake out yourself when you take that moment to be honest with your thoughts — and remember.

Remember what it was like to grow in the Son Light?  Remember that bubbling joy like a fresh brook that gloriously tumbles along its waterway? Remember, too, how growth is stunted when growing in the Son Light is no more?  Stunted joy.  Stunted peace.  Stunted joy of friendship with likeminded brothers and sisters in Jesus.  All that joy begins to shrivel when there is no more Son Light.  Overall growth — stunted.

Great news!  It does’t have to stay that way!  Make a choice to intentionally step back into the Light of Father’s forgiveness.  Intentionally step back into likeminded companionships with those in the family of God.  Intentionally step back into the Light of God’s Word.  Dwell there.  Rest there.  Eat and drink there, for only then will you know that refreshing joy like you had in the beginning.  Go to the Son Light. Grow again there, tall and straight and strong again.

“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.”  I Peter 2:2